Breadcrumb trail

A One-Day Snapshot of Aboriginal Youth in Custody Across Canada

Chapter 9 - British Columbia (continued)

9.8 Mobility Patterns

The previous section revealed that Aboriginal youth included in the Snapshot were most likely to have lived in a city for the two years preceding their current admission, committed or allegedly committed their offence in a city, and plan to relocate to a city. However, the section did not reveal mobility patterns across the three main Snapshot questions. For instance, of the youth who lived in a city prior to their current admission, what proportion committed their offence in a city, and what proportion committed their offence in a different location (e.g. reserve or town)?

To address this question, the respondents' answers were examined across the three main Snapshot questions (from where they lived, to where they committed or allegedly committed their offence and where they plan to relocate). Overall, the analysis reveals little mobility - a majority of youth remained in the same location type across the three main Snapshot questions. [1] In British Columbia , youth who lived in a city were most likely to have committed or allegedly committed their offence in a city and plan to relocate to a city.

Of the 13 Aboriginal youth who indicated that they spent a majority of time during the two years before their current admission on a reserve, the largest proportion (31%) also committed or allegedly committed their offence on a reserve, and plan to relocate to a reserve. The remaining youth illustrated a varied mobility pattern (e.g. a mixture of reserve, town and city).

A majority of youth (N=11 or 52%) who lived in a town for a majority of time during the two years before their current admission also committed or allegedly committed their offence in a town and plan to relocate to a town. In comparison, 14% (N=3) lived in a town, committed or allegedly committed their offence in a city, and plan to relocate to a city. Fourteen percent (N=4) lived in a town, committed or allegedly committed their offence in a town, and plan to relocate to a city.

Finally, of the youth who lived in a city for a majority of time during the two years before their current admission, 85% (N=50) committed or allegedly committed their offence in a city and plan to relocate to a city.

[1] This analysis was conducted at the city, town and reserve level and does not account for movement across specific locations (e.g. whether a youth committed their offence in city "A" and plans to relocate to city "B").